The 48th International Paris Air Show took place between June 15 and June 21, 2009. The event, which is considered the largest showcase of aerospace technology in the world, has been around since 1909. In 1951, on the eve of the Space Age, Paris Air Show moved to Le Bourget airport, where it was held biennially ever since. The USSR regularly used the event to advertise its aviation and space technology. In 1967, it was the site of the first public display of the Vostok rocket. In 1989, a giant Antonov-224 Mriya transport plane landed in Le Bourget, carrying the Buran reusable orbiter on its back.

While the target date of the first launch of the Soyuz rocket from the new launch pad in French Guiana remains December 2009, a number of Russian officials say it will be more likely beginning of 2010. The mobile service tower remains a major stumbling block.